paintball parable

there i was sitting peacefully by the creek as they shot rounds yards from my head. dozens of shots were fired as i meditated near the water. i wondered when one stray shot might wiz by my ear or hit me in the back or head or arm. but i stayed still nonetheless and gleaned from this experience the following lesson.

life is hectic. problems, complications, fights, weariness, and sorrow do not end. they have always been here and always will be until restoration has come in its fullness. to transcend these tumultuous times, we must find reprieve in the midst of them. even though we seek sancturary, we must always remember that we cannot leave the battle behind. too much is at stake to surrender to fantasy or fatigue. so our meditation must be sublime to provide relief from the raucus. but it must also be earthy to remind us of the goodness of creation and the fact that it's worth fighting for.

these truths dawned on me as i arose and asked the neighborhood kids to not shoot me with their paintball guns